And no, not Jerry Reed's classic ode to the swamp, Amos Moses, but y'all are gettin' closer.....
No, what I'm talking about is this down and dirty and delicious bowl of Shrimp and Andouille Gumbo that was printed up in the NYT Magazine recently. This is without question the best bowl of gumbo I've ever had, and I've had some pretty good versions down south. Spicy, smoky from the sausage, with those sweet shrimp swimming around. Gather some friends together, cook up big pot of southern goodness, throw this on top of some rice, pop open a few beers and you've got yourself a time!!
*** *** *** *** ***Sausage-and-Shrimp Gumbo
By Alex Witchel for the New York Times 12/28/2008
ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound andouille smoked sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices (chorizo may be substituted)
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup seeded and chopped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups sliced fresh okra or 1 (10-ounce) package frozen sliced okra, thawed
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
2 bay leaves
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, green parts only
Cooked long-grain white rice (optional).
method:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a bowl.
2. In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is light brown, about 2 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers and garlic and cook, scraping the brown bits from the bottom, until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Add the sausage, okra, salt, cayenne, Tabasco and bay leaves. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the shrimp and green onions and simmer just until the shrimp turn pink, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and season to taste with more salt and cayenne. Serve in soup bowls, over hot rice if you choose. Serves 6 to 8.
cook's note: really, REALLY try to get andouille sausage. I got the house smoked andouille from Pastaworks here in Portland and it was perfect. It does make a difference!- bb
